The present invention relates to recombinant DNA molecules coding for the allergen Art v 1, to a method for preparation of a Art v 1 molecule, and to a vector and a transformed host cell.
Pollen of mugwort is one of the main causes of allergies in Europe in late summer (1,2). Among all patients suffering from pollinosis, the incidence of allergic disease caused by mugwort pollen is between 10 and 14% (2,3). Immunoblots of total protein from extracts of mugwort pollen show that the patients' IgE recognize a major allergen of 27–29 kDa, which is therefore called Art v 1. Over 95% of all patients that are allergic against mugwort pollen, recognize Art v 1 in an IgE immunoblot. Such blots will be called “patient blots” from here on. Several other proteins in mugwort pollen extract migrate at the same apparent Mr of 27–29 kDa. It was therefore difficult to isolate a cDNA clone and proof that it codes for Art v 1.
Object of the invention is to provide a recombinant DNA molecule that codes for the allergen of pollen from Artemisia vulgaris. 